Ningaloo Reef and Monkey Mia — what can you actually do there?
You snorkel Ningaloo straight off the beach — it is a fringing reef, metres from the sand, which is the thing the Great Barrier Reef cannot offer. Monkey Mia is where the dolphins come into the shallows. Four days from Perth reaches Monkey Mia, six reaches Ningaloo, from $1,299.
Checked on 6 October 2026.
The west coast north of Perth has two things nowhere else in Australia has: a World Heritage reef you can swim to from the beach, and a bay where wild dolphins come into the shallows every morning. Both are a long way up, which is why they are also quiet.
Ningaloo Reef
- You walk in off the sand. Ningaloo is a fringing reef — the coral starts metres from the beach at Coral Bay and Turquoise Bay, so there is no boat and no day trip needed to snorkel it.
- Manta rays year round on a half-day boat trip, at extra cost.
- Whale sharks and humpbacks are seasonal and booked separately on the day — the trips build in free time at Exmouth and Coral Bay so you can take one.
- Cape Range behind it — Vlamingh Head lighthouse, gorges and the Milyering visitor centre.
Monkey Mia and Shark Bay
- The dolphins come in to the shallows at Monkey Mia, which is a ranger-managed thing rather than a show.
- Shark Bay is World Heritage for its seagrass — four thousand square kilometres of it, which is why turtles, dugongs and whale sharks are all there.
- The shark nursery at the beach, and snorkelling off the sand.
- Several trips stay at the RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort right on the beach, which saves the morning drive.
The trips
| Trip | Length | How far north | Where you sleep | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Day Perth to Monkey Mia | 4 days, 3 nights | Monkey Mia and Shark Bay | Resort/Motel | $1299 |
| 6 Day Perth to Exmouth | 6 days, 5 nights | **Ningaloo and Exmouth**, one way | Hostels / Hotels | $1449 |
| 6 Day Perth to Exmouth | 6 days, 5 nights | Ningaloo and Exmouth, one way | Hostel | $1549 |
| 7 Day Perth to Exmouth & Return | 7 days, 6 nights | Ningaloo and back to Perth | Hostel / Dorm Share | $1699 |
| 8 Day Perth to Exmouth & Return | 8 days, 7 nights | Ningaloo and back, at a slower pace | Hostel / Dorm Share | $1699 |
| 7 Day Perth to Exmouth & Return | 7 days, 6 nights | Ningaloo and back to Perth | Hostel / Dorm Share | $1799 |
| 8 Day Perth to Exmouth in Comfort | 8 days, 7 nights | Ningaloo, in ensuite rooms throughout | Boutique Ensuite | $4099 |
Prices are per person and update on their own.
Four days or six?
- Four days reaches Monkey Mia and Shark Bay and returns to Perth. Private ensuite rooms the whole way, and the dolphins are the headline.
- Six days carries on to Coral Bay and Exmouth, which is where the snorkelling is. If Ningaloo is why you are going, you need the six.
- Seven or eight days does the same and brings you back to Perth, so no flight needed from Learmonth.
- Eight days in comfort is the same coast in boutique ensuite rooms throughout.
What costs extra
Snorkelling off the beach is free and included in your time. The boat trips — manta rays, whale sharks, humpback whales, glass-bottom boats — are booked and paid on the day, because they depend on the season and the weather. Your guide helps you sort them.
The trips
People also ask
- How do I get from Perth to Exmouth or Broome?
- How long do you need in Western Australia?
- What are the best day trips from Perth?
- Where should I go in Australia?
Where this comes from. Each trip's own itinerary, accommodation and options list, as held on its page here. Prices are the current from price and update on their own.